Card counter

ABSTRACT

325,480. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Ford, E. A.). Nov. 19, 1927, [Convention date]. Divided on 300,909. Statistical apparatus.-In a record -card - controlled counting machine having units counters for the card-hole positions connected individually with the card-reading device, a reject counter has a connection (182), normally effective, which transmits at the end of each card cycle an impulse to the reject counter, there being controlling means (183) which operate, when a counter has been actuated by a hole being read, to disable the said connection to the reject counter. The apparatus described is the same as that described and shown in Figs. 3, 9, 15, 16, 18, 21, and 22 of Specification 300,909. When a card-hole is read by the brush a circuit is closed from positive line to 43, 44&lt;1&gt;, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, card-lever contacts 186, to negative. Simultaneously, a circuit is made from 182 to common bar 188, a units counter magnet 107 and segment 179 corresponding to the hole under the brush, 180, 189, to 186. Energization of 183 unlatches 192 to open contacts 182. Late in the card cycle a cam rotated by the sorter motor restores part 192 to close contacts 182. Normally, therefore. reject counter magnet 107 is energized when the rear edge of the card leaves the brush and the latter meets the base contact roller 43. If a hole has been read, however, contacts 182 are open and the reject magnet is not energized. Hence this magnet will count all cards not counted on other units counters 9 - - 0, X, or E. Specification 284,241 also is referred to.

Oct. 18, 1932. s. A. FORD 1,882,795

' CARD COUNTER Original Filed Nov. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932. FQRD 1,882,796

CARD COUNTER Original Filed Nov. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g gym H507, 3513,44 flmjiif Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE EUGENE A. FORD, OI SCABSDALE, KNEW YQRK, ASSIGNOB TO THE TABULATING IziACHIIN'E COMPANY, 01 ENDICOTT, NEW YORK. A CQIRIEORATION 013 NEW JIEBEY CARD COUNTER Original application filed November 19, 182?, Serial No. 34,329. Divided and this application filed April c, 1928. Serial No. 267,940.

This case is a division of application Seriel No. 234,329, filed November 19. 192? and is my invention will be obvious from the following'particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutes certain new and novel features of cons ruction end combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a side view of the forwnrd portion of the record sorting machine to which the counter is shown attached.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional plan view of the counter attachment.

Fig 3 is a rear view of the counter end the card feeding means.

Fig- 4 is a detail of the counter end Fi 5 is a circuit diagram'of the counter attac ment.

While the invention is herein disclosed as an attachmentfor counting the number of record cards fed from the supply magazine of a sorting machine, it is apparent that the counter may equally well be attached to eny machine wherein cards or sheets are fed one ata time from a magazine or the like.

Referrin to Figs. 1 and 3, the sorting machine with which the counter is used is provided with a magazine containing a stack of record cards 11. In operation, the cards are fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack by picker blades 12 mounted on the 'rear end of slidable arms 13 which are pivotally joined to links 14 fiiied to a common shaft 15. One of the links 14; is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to one arm 16 of an angular member 17 freely rotatably mounted on a pin 18 extending perpendicularly from s crank arm 19. The letter is revolved by e transverse shaft 20 {El g. ilficontinuously rotated by the sortins motor (Fig. 5) through gear and sha connections (not shown). In operation the shaft 20 revolves the crank arm 19 thereby oscillating member 17 which through arm 16 nctuatcs links l i to cause picker blades 12 to feed one card every cycle. The issuing card is successively gripped by each of a plurality of pairs of similar rollers 21 which feed the card continuously to one of the sorting nochets22 selected by analyzing elements 23 in accordance with the perforations on the cards for recording information thereon. The control of the analyzing elements is electrical and serves to establish n circuit; upon sensing of c perforation in a card by said elements, throiigh magnets 2% which upon energization nttrect an armature 25 to permit the guide blades 26 which are not supported by the card in motion to drop. cord in continuing to feed asses over the first of the lowered guide follows the passage between said guide blade and the one above it till it drops into the sorting pocket to which said passage leads. A fuller description of the sorter will be found in the parent application above referred to.

The counting attachment forming the subject matter of my invention is operated from the card feeding mechanism by connection with an extension 28 on oscillating member 17. Said extension is provided with a pin 29 on which is loosely journeled one end of a. link 30. The connection between pin 29 and link 30 is sumciently loose to permit the link to shift slightly along the pin. On the side of extension 28 opposite from the link 30 is attached a hook 31 to which is fastened one end of a spring 32 the other end of which is fast to an intermediate portion of the link. The lower. end of the link is provided with a pin 33 which is guided for vertical movement in a. slot 34 formed in a plate 36 rigidly attached to one side of an open rectangular frame 37 bolted to a stationary frame member 38 of the sortin machine. The tendency of aforementione spring 32 is to keep the end of pin ledes and tile 33 from projecting outside of the slot 34 in front of t e plate 36.

Mounted on a sub frame 40 which is rigid with frame member 38 is a counter unit 41 of ordinary construction. One end of the counter shaft 42 has a resetting knob 43 while the other end has an arm 44 fixed to it. The outer end of arm 44 is pivotally connected by a pin 45 with a bell crank 46 which has one arm 47 attached to a coil spring 48 and the other arm 49 provided with a lateral extension 50. The spring 48 tends to rock the bell crank counterclockwise thus keeping the end of the projection 50 in engagement with plate 36. In addition, spring '48 tends to draw the bell crank down thereby rocking arm 44 and shaft 42 clockwise. The contact of the outer end of arm 44 with the to bracket 51 attached to plate 36 (see 1g. 1) stops the arts in their lowermost position.

A double coil magnet 53 is fastened to the rear wall of the frame 37 and serves to attract an armature 54 against the resistance of a sprin 55. The outer end of the armature 1s seate in grooves 56 formed in the bent ends of a pair of parallel horizontally spaced arms 57 rigid with arms 58 extending substantially at right angles to arms 57 in a horlzontal plane. The arms 58 are joined attheir outer ends by a vertically extending bar 59 which is adapted to engage the end of link at a point thereof opposite pin 33. The arms 57 and 58 are pivoted at their intersect ing ends on a pin 60 so that when armature 54 is attracted by magnet 53, it rocks arms 57 and 58 counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 2) on pivot 60. The bar 59 thereupon forces the end of link 30 with which it is engaged towards plate 36, forcing pin 33 to proect in front of said plate. Upon the upward movement of link 30, the pin will then engage the extension 50 and move it upwardly against the resistance of spring 48. The upward movement of the extension 50 results in rocking arm 44 and the counter shaft 42 to which it is .attached counterclockwise. By means well known in the art, the rocking of the shaft causes the number standing in the counter wheels to advance one unit. Thus every time that the link 30 makes a complete reciprocation, the pin 33 will rock the counter shaft through hell crank 46 and arm 44 to cause the counter to add one. Since the link 36 is connected to the card feeding arm. 17

through projection 28, the link will be operated in unison with the card feeding opera tion. Every time that a card is fed, extension 28 oscillates link 30 to-reciprocate pin 33 in slot 34 and as long as magnet 53 remains show the number of cards actually fed out of the supply magazine.

Referring to the circuit diagram, Fig. 5, when the sorting motor M is set in operation, the picker mechanism feeds the first card out which closes the usual card lever contacts 65 thus completing the circuit through magnet 53. The magnet remains energized as long as cards are feeding. When no card is fed contacts 65 open and the magnet 53 deenergizes, thus stopping the counting operation.

he movement of armature 54 away from the magnet is limited b contact with the head of a screw 66 inserte in one end of a rod 67, the other end of which is threaded into the rear wall of frame 37 and has a knurled knob 68 pinned thereto for rotating the rod. The screw passes through a slot 69 (Fig. 3) provided in the outer end of the armature. The movement of the armature towards the magnet is limited by contact with the inner or adjacent end of rod 67. If it is desired to keep the counter out of action while the sorter is in operation, the rod 67 is advanced until the inner end thereof is in contact with the armature when in retracted position. The energization of magnet 53 Will thereupon be unable to attract armature 54 since the latter will be restrained from rocking -clockwise by the inner end of rod 67.

While I have shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend to be limited therefore only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A counting attachment for a machine wherein semi-flexible cards are fed one at a time by a feeding mechanism, comprising a counter, a member connected to said mechanism, and a magnet for controlling said mem her to render it effective to operate said counter.

2. A counting attachment for a machine wherein semi-flexible cards are fed one at a time by a feeding mechanism, comprising a counter, a reciprocating member connected to said feeding mechanism, and a magnetic control for said member adapted to render it efi'ective to operate said counter each time a card is fed.

3. A counting attachment for a machine wherein semi-flexible cards are fed one at a time, comprising a counting unit, an actuating member and a magnetic control for rendering said member effective to operate said counting unit each time a card is fed.

' 4. In a machine for operating on semiflexible cards fed from a supply magazine, a counter unit including a counter shaft, a member fixed to said shaft, a reciprocating element for oscillating said member to add one to the reading on said counter unit every time a card is fed, and a magnetic control for said element to selectively render it effective for oscillating said member.

5. A counting attachment for cards issuing from a supply stack, comprising a counter unit, a member for releasably driving said unit, means for coupling said member to said unit for cooperation, and a device controlled by issuing cards for setting and holdin said coupling means to maintain said member in constant coupling relation to said unit while cards are being fed.

6. A counting attachment for cards issuing from a supply stack, comprising a counter unit provided with an actuating element, a reciprocating member for driving said element to effect operation of the counter unit, a linkage cooperating with said reciprocating member for holding the latter in a path wherein it is adapted to drive said element, and a member coacting with said reciprocating member for moving the latter'to a path wherein it is ineffective to drive said element.

7. An attachment such as described in claim 5, said device comprising a magnet and a cooperating armature, said armature being controlled by said n'iagnet for setting and holding said actuating means in coupling relation to said unit, and said magnet remaining energized while cards are being fed.

8. An attachment such as described in claim 1, a circuit for energizing said magnet, and a switch in said circuit operated by feeding cards for controlling said circuit to render the magnet effective to cause operation of said counter while cards are being fed.

9. An attachment such as set forth in claim 2, and a switch operated by said cards for controlling the circuit of the magnetic control.

10. An attachment such as set forth in claim 3, said magnetic control having an operating circuit, and a switch in said circuit 3 controlled by feeding cards.

curs in a certain path, operates the counting unit each time a card is fed, means for normally holding said first-named means for movement externally of said path, an electrical control for holding said first-named means in said path, and a card controlled circuit for energizing said control.

13. In a machine wherein blanks are fed one at a time, a counting unit, a member concurs in a certain path engages the first member to operate the counting unit each time a blank is fed, means for holding said second member for movement in said path as long as blanks are being fed, and means for moving said second member transversely of aforesaid path to cause movement of the second member to occur externally of aforesaid path when feed of the blanks ceases.

14. In a machine wherein means are provided to feed cards one at a time; a member movable in synchronism with the card feeding means and provided with aprojection, a frame having a guideway into which the projection extends and by which it is guided for reciprocatable movement, card-controlled means for moving the projection to cause the free end thereof to protrude beyond the guideway while in motion, a member adapted to be periodically engaged by the free end of said projection when protruding outside the guideway, a counting unit operated by said latter member, and means for withdrawing the projection into the guideway when the cards stop feeding to prevent engagement of the projection with the latter member.

In testimony whereof I hereto ailix my signature.

EUGENE A. FORD. 

